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(No Model.) 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1. J. A. HURDLE 8: A. W. STEIGER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 389,927. Reutwted Sept.-25, 1888.

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hu. Washington. D4 ll (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. A. HURDLE & A. W. STEIGER.

ROTARY ENGINE. No. 389,927. Patent-ed Sept. 25, 1888.

Witness as: Q I m/entan' r M a p u. PETERS. Phob-Liibognpher. Walhingion. uc.

UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

JULIAN A. HURDLE AND ANDREW XV. STEIGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO HELEN F. HURDLE, OF SAME PLACE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

|SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,927, dated September 25, 1888.

Serial No. 270,84. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JULIAN A. HURDLE and ANDREW W. STEIGER, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved rotary motor, and belongs to that class wherein a revolving sectional piston is made to rotate within a spherical working-chamber.

Our-invention relates more particularly to the construction of the revolving piston and the necessary packing to prevent the loss of power due to leakage of steam; and it consists of a cylindrical groove made through the center of the central section forming a part of the spherical piston, and at right angles to this groove, and opposite to the side where it forms the elongated opening, is also formed a groove, beginning at the periphery of the central section and extending therefrom to a suit able distance from the center of the sphere, where it abuts against the end of a cylindrical projection. The inner edge of one of the outer sections forming a part of the piston is provided with a bead clear across it,and is adapted to lit the cylindrical groove passing through the central section. This bead is provided with a groove, which groove extends completely around the aforesaid outer section, adapted to receive suitable packing, to prevent the escape of steam from one side to the other when in operation. The other outer section is made in two parts and held together by means of bolts. One of these parts has the shaft integral or connected therewith. Each part is provided with a bead,which is adapted to fit the grooves abutting against the cylindrical projection of the central section of the piston. These short beads, together with the surface working against the cylindrical projection of the central sect-ion and the surfaces forming the joint of the bolted parts, are provided with grooves adapted to receive suitable packing.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of motor complete; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the revolving piston detailed Fig. 3, a view of the revolving piston, partly in section toillustrate thejoint and packing; Fig. 4c, a view of the revolving piston, also partly in section, and taken at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view of the motor complete. Fig. 6 is a central vertical section through the same, and Fig. 7 is a top view of thelower half ofthe cylindrical working-chant her with the remaining parts detached.

A A is a spherical working-chamber, formed in two parts and joined together by the flanges a a, formed thereon, the lower portion, A, be ing secured to or made integral with a base or bed plate, A

B B are journalbearings to receive the outwardly-projecting shafts from the revolving piston, and they are located so that the projecting shaft will form an obtuse angle the one with the other, and the bearings are preferably made through the flanges a a, as shown.

C O are steanrchannels leading, respectively, to the ports 0 c and c c, which serve as feed and exhaust ports for the steam, and which are formed through the walls of the workingchamber immediately over and under the jou rrial-bearings B B. The steam is admitted to the channel 0 through the supply-pipe G, and its entrance is preferably governed by an automatic governor, D, shown and described in application filed by us and now pending in the United States Patent Office. By this governor the amount of steam admitted is regulated by the load placed upon the motor.

The piston is composed of three parts, E F G. The central part, F, is in the form of a sphere, with two sections, each comprising about one-third of the sphere, cut away, the portions cut away being on opposite sides and at right angles the one with the other. The parts E and G are in the form of spherical sections, and each comprising less of the sphere than the section cut away from the central part, F. The part G is hinged to the central part, F, by means of a cylindrical bead, 9, formed upon its straight edge at the intersection of its flat sides, and this head is fitted into a cylindrical opening formed through the central part, F, the axis of which passes directly through the spherical center of the said part F.

The part E of the piston is made of the same ICO shape and size as the part G, and is hinged to the central part, F, in the same manner, ex cept that the bead g extends for only a short distance from the outer ends of the edge upon which it is placed, and the cylindrical opening in the part F is made to correspond, and in the intervening space the bead g is formed upon the part F and the part E is cut away to correspond. This arrangement makes it necessary to make the part E in two pieces, which are joined and held together when in position by the screw-bolts c 6. Upon the convex sides, and projecting radially from the parts E G, are the shafts II I, and these shafts are mounted in and held in position by the journal-bearings B B, formed in the spherical working-chamber A. NVhen these parts E, F, and G, hinged together, are mounted within the spherical chamber A A and revolved, the flatsnrfaces of the parts E and G will alternately approach and reccde from the central portion, F, and by a proper admission of steam between the receding surfaces the pressure of the steam will force the piston to rotate. By placing the inlet-ports as before described the convex parts of E and G will serve as cutoff orslide valves for the proper admission of steam.

In the manufacture of the motor it will be necessary to provide against the passage of steam through between the sliding faces, and this is done by placing packing-rings upon the several parts, as follows: Upon the part G- of the piston two rings, hh, are set into grooves upon the spherical surface, running from end to end near its edge and joining into one ring at h h" and a single groove, and an incloscd or embedded ring, it, is made to pass down over the face of the cylindrical head, as shown. Similar rings, 0 c, are placed upon or embedded in the part E; but these are made separate for each section of this part, so that when the screws 0 e are tightened thejoint held by them will be steam-tight. A single ring, f, is provided for and embedded in the central part, F, and this ring is shaped to pass around but to press against the projecting ends of the beads upon the parts E and G, as shown.

Ve are aware that hereto fore a rotary motor has been made and patented wherein a spherical working-chamber has been made to inclose a rotating piston made in three parts hinged togetherinthe form of a universaljoint. Therefore we do not claim this idea, broadly.

NV hat we do claim is- In a rotating spherical piston composed of the three sections E F G, the combination of the cylindrical grooves through the central section, F, adapted to receive the corresponding bead, g, integral or connected with the section G, the bead g, integral or connected with the section E, bead g, integral with the central section, F, screw-bolts c c, shafts II I, and packings h 71 if, c c, andf, the whole form- -1ng a complete piston, substantially as shown and described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 17th day of March, A. D. 1888.

JULIAN A. IIURDLE. ANDREW WV. S'LEIGER.

Witnesses:

Onas. E. FoULns, Tnno. I. 000KB. 

